South Africa's Olympic committee has named Durban as its preferred host city for a bid to stage the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the first such Games in Africa. The South African cabinet has approved the bid. Acting committee president Lwandile Simelane said the bid would likely be spread across several cities, with some events held elsewhere, and Cape Town and Johannesburg were also considered. The preferred city must reach the International Olympic Committee by 31 October. Presentations to the IOC's Future Host Commission are due in November, feasibility reviews end in March 2027, and the host for 2036 is to be chosen in mid-2029. Seven countries have expressed interest in 2036. Officials have not yet released cost estimates.
Germany
3 stories since 29 October 2026, newest first
29 October 2026
Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, will step down on 7 February 2027, about nine months before her eight-year term ends on 31 October 2027. Sources say she wants freedom to speak on matters beyond monetary policy, including French and global politics. The European Council has started the search for a successor, with former central bank governors Klaas Knot of the Netherlands and Pablo Hernandez de Cos of Spain seen as front-runners. Eurozone inflation is running at almost double the bank's two per cent target.
Nationwide protests in France have brought clashes, looting and arson in several cities. French Interior Ministry figures put participation at about 410,000, while the CGT union estimated about 800,000. Police reported 1,314 arrests and 53 injured officers, and 70,000 officers were deployed. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu then met student groups on Monday, and the government announced €4 billion in loans for school renovations and new university admissions rules. Student leaders say they will keep protesting because not all demands were met.